Shrinking returns for Season 3 with strong reviews and a Season 4 renewal

Shrinking is back on Apple TV+ with a supersized Season 3 premiere and a clear signal that the streamer wants more: the series has already been renewed for Season 4 ahead of the new season’s debut. The return matters now because the show is leaning into bigger emotional swings—especially around Paul’s health—while keeping its warm, fast-joke rhythm that made it a breakout dramedy.

As of 11:45 a.m. ET on Saturday, Jan. 31, 2026, the new season is posting a strong early critical start on Rotten Tomatoes, pairing “Certified Fresh” buzz with a still-building audience score.

Shrinking Season 3 sets its tone early

Season 3 opens with a longer-than-usual first episode, using extra runtime to reset the emotional board after the Season 2 finale and to push several relationships into new, uncomfortable honesty. The show’s core approach hasn’t changed—grief, guilt, and growth filtered through blunt conversations and quick humor—but the new episodes feel more deliberate about consequences, especially for Jimmy’s “rules don’t apply” therapy style.

The premiere also doubles down on the ensemble format: even when Jimmy drives the headline plot, the show treats Gaby, Paul, Liz, Sean, Brian, Charlie, Derek, and Alice as co-leads in practice, hopping between arcs that are meant to pay off gradually across the season.

Rotten Tomatoes scores fuel the early narrative

The conversation around the new season has quickly become a numbers story, in part because the show arrived with momentum from prior acclaim and awards attention. The “Certified Fresh” label has helped frame the return as a continuation of what worked—sharp character writing and performances—rather than a reinvention.

The main caution flag is simply the early-stage nature of audience data: with fewer than 50 verified ratings on the Popcornmeter at the timestamp above, that figure can swing sharply in either direction as more viewers catch up. The critic score is based on a larger sample, but it can also shift as additional reviews post over the coming weeks.

Apple TV+ renewal makes the strategy clear

Apple TV+ renewed the series for Season 4 before Season 3 launched, an aggressive vote of confidence that effectively turns this run into a bridge rather than a finale. Creatively, that matters because the show has often been described as building in “chapters” (themes that change by season), and a renewal suggests the writers’ room has runway to evolve beyond the initial arc without compressing endings.

For the platform, it also reinforces a familiar streaming playbook: keep proven, conversation-driving shows on the calendar and use weekly episodes to sustain attention. Season 3 is rolling out weekly on Wednesdays, with episodes often appearing the prior evening in the U.S. (late Tuesday ET).

Michael J. Fox and guest casting raise the stakes

The biggest headline addition is Michael J. Fox, returning to acting in a multi-episode arc as a patient with Parkinson’s disease who forms a connection with Paul. The pairing is inherently loaded because Paul is also living with Parkinson’s—so the show isn’t just introducing a new character, it’s spotlighting an internal mirror for Paul at a time when his disease progression has become a central emotional lever.

Season 3’s guest bench is also unusually deep for a comedy-drama, including Jeff Daniels and Candice Bergen, plus returning familiar faces that tie into Jimmy’s broader web of accountability. The casting approach fits the series’ style: bring in recognizable performers to catalyze a character’s next step, then let the regular ensemble handle the longer emotional runway.

What to watch next as episodes roll out

With Season 4 already greenlit, the immediate question isn’t “Will it continue?” but “What tone will it choose?” The early episodes are steering toward forward motion—repair, acceptance, and the messy work of living with what can’t be fixed. If that holds, the season’s success will likely hinge on two things:

• Whether the show keeps balancing sentiment and bite without tipping into easy uplift

• Whether Jimmy’s growth feels earned rather than waived through by charm and jokes

The next major data point will be how critics and viewers respond once the season’s heavier Paul-centered threads land, and whether the series can keep weekly momentum through the April 8, 2026 finale window.

Sources consulted: Apple TV+ Press, Rotten Tomatoes, People, A.V. Club, Forbes, CinemaBlend